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bols and representations; he sets before our eyes, in the facrament, his bloody death and paffion, and makes himself therein present to our faith. How can we refrain from tears of forrow, to think of the fins of mankind, which brought our Lord and Saviour to the crofs? And how can we refrain at the fame time from tears of joy, to think of his ftrange love? It cannot but trouble us to think that we love him no more, who put himself to fuch pain, and laid down his life for our redemption. And yet when we confider, that in his blood our fouls are washed, and that by his ftripes we are healed, who can chufe but rejoice in his love, and hope that he will accept of our poor acknowledgements?

And in the next place, When we confider all these things, we cannot at the fame time but reflect, how odious, vile, and intolerable fin is, that brought our Lord to fuch miferies, and required fuch a blood to expiate it. This hatred of fin proceeds from the love of God; and the viler that we perceive fin to be, the more

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will our love increase to him that will pardon fuch a fhameful act. Let us think therefore, what is that which maketh God fo angry? What is that which requires the blood of Chrift to expiate? What hideous monster is that, which could not be satisfied without fuch an atonement? The thoughts of Chrift's crofs are enough to affright a man from the most delightful of his finful pleasures.But then how amiable doth the goodness of God appear, that he would pafs by fo many offences, and require no fatisfaction from us for fuch infufferable wrongs? How great was his love, that he would transfer the punishment from us unto his Son? and how great was his Son's love, that he would bear our iniquities, that by his ftripes we might be healed? It is fcarcely to be conceived or imagined how great that love was; but the more heinous and grievous our offences seem, the more gloriously will it shine in our eyes; and on the other hand, the more lovely God appears, the more we shall hate in that doth any injury to fo good a God,

In the next place, When we see the bread ready to be administered unto us, Let us employ ourselves in these acts of devotion, -It will become our fouls to fink into a very deep humility, and to abase themfelves in the fense of their own unworthinefs. When we fee that Chrift is coming (as it were) towards us, let us entertain him with an act of reverence, worship, and humble obeifance to him. Let us confider that we are not worthy that he fhould come under our roof; and that we deserve not the crumbs that fall from his table.

And together with this humility, let us mix also fome acts of love. Let us think of the infinite love of God, that would give his own Son; and of the infinite love of Chrift, that would fo graciously come to fave us, and would leave us these remembrances and tokens of his love.

And then let us turn our love into defire. Let us befeech him to fill us with his holy Spirit, and to dwell in us by all his divine graces. Let us humbly stretch out our hands unto him, and defire to be

filled with his bounty. Let us say unto him in the words of the Pfalmift, Whom bave I in heaven but thee? and there is none upon earth that I defire in comparison of thee.

FURTHERMORE; When we take the bread into our bands, it is feasonable to do that act which is also one end of this facrament, namely, to commemorate or fhew forth the Lord's death. Let us represent before God, the facrifice of atonement that Christ hath made; let us commemorate the pains which he endured; let us intreat him that we may enjoy all the purchase of his blood; that all people may reap the fruit of his paffion; and that for the fake of his bloody facrifice, he will turn away all his anger and displeasure, and be reconciled unto us.

And it is alfo then a seasonable time, to profefs ourselves Chriftians, and that we will take up our crofs, and follow after him. This taking of the bread, we should look upon as a receiving the yoke of Christ, and a taking up of his cross, if he fhall

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fhall think fit to call us to it. We embrace a crucified Jefus, and we are not to expect. always to live in pleasures, unless they be fpiritual; nor to rejoice with the world, but sometimes to endure affliction; and we are to account it all joy, when we fall into divers temptations. Let us therefore refolve to love, and to follow him in all events; and be contented, if he fhall fo call us unto it, to take joyfully the spoiling of our goods, to be pleased with pains, and to count death for his fake, the way to eternal life and happiness.

AGAIN; When we eat, it is a fit season to put forth these acts of faith :—Let us exprefs our hearty confent, that Chrift fhall dwell within us; that we will be ruled by his laws, and governed by his Spirit; that he shall be the fole director of our fouls, and the lord of all our faculties; and that we will have no other mafter but only him. So fhould we then meditate,-that we do then receive Chrift, never to be fe parated from his service, for ever to adhere

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